Yu and his associates, from a diverse range of businesses, have finally given up on attempts to buy Birmingham after six months of negotiations with Carson Yeung.

Yu, who was once Yeung’s main football advisor at St Andrew’s, said: ‘The consortium and myself maybe will now consider a takeover of another English club instead.’

And that looks likely to be Wednesday for around £15m.

Mandaric, who bought Wednesday for £1 in 2010 having spent more than £7m clearing debts, reports the club are losing £5m a year.

Former England coach Duncan Fletcher discarded world-class bowler Graeme Swann early in his career because he thought off-spinners were finished unless they could deliver a doosra — the delivery that spins the other way.

That is according to another ex-England boss, Mickey Stewart, who says in an interview with The Cricket Paper on Wednesday: ‘I have a lot of respect for Fletch but I think the only way you bowl a doosra is to throw it.’

Ruthless? Duncan Fletcher discarded Graeme Swann

Sky cricket pundit Sir Ian Botham has an important family date before the third Ashes Test.

His son Liam, a former county cricketer for Hampshire as well as a professional in both rugby codes, is getting married for the second time in Mustique to Lisa Harrison, a Belfast magazine publisher.

Liam’s best man is business tycoon David Ross, an independent director of the British Olympic Association.

Cause to celebrate: Sir Ian Botham's son is getting married

Geoff Boycott, who was paid £180,000 in 1987 — the biggest advance at the time for a sports book — by publishers Macmillan for his autobiography is to write another life story. Simon & Schuster have agreed a contract with Boycott, although not on comparative terms, for his second memoirs that will be published in October 2014, which is 50 years on from his England Test debut against Australia.

The first book was written before Boycott became cricket’s best-known pundit.

Beeb stay in running

BBC Sport have shown faith in drugs-tainted track and field by agreeing a six-year renewal of their TV contract with UK Athletics.

This will see the Beeb have rights to all UKA events, including two Diamond League meetings a season, until 2020.

The Olympic Stadium will host one of those showcase events every year, making the estimated £25m deal that much more attractive.

Controversial: But the doping scandal surrounding Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell has not deterred the BBC

And the Beeb — who have become increasingly selective in their bidding strategy — staying with athletics after the doping scandal involving big-name sprinters Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell, is a major boost for the sport.

The current BBC contract, which is also a six-year agreement, expires after next year’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

BT Sport, who have already signed up Robin van Persie, Gareth Bale, Rio Ferdinand, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Daniel Sturridge and Marouane Fellaini as ambassadors, are talking to Chelsea’s Frank Lampard about joining their team. However, all of BT’s ambassador payments won’t add up to the £20m Sky are paying David Beckham.

Major attraction: Sky spent big money to recruit David Beckham

Liverpool’s controversial former communications director Jen Chang has made a success of his new media role at New York Cosmos, with the management there praising him for his social media expertise.

Chang left Anfield after the club were forced to apologise for threats he made in a restaurant to supporter Sean Cummins over his blog and Liverpool insider Twitter postings.